1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for stretching dough, and in particular to an apparatus and method for stretching dough in which the elasticity of the gel structure in the dough is prevented from being changed during the method.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,676 discloses a dough sheeting apparatus. This apparatus is a typical conventional dough stretching apparatus. It comprises a plurality of pairs of compression rollers. In this apparatus dough is supplied to the space between the respective pairs of rollers and is compressed by the upper and lower rollers to have a predetermined thickness. To stretch dough by compression, the dough should be subjected to a pressure higher than the point at which the dough loses its elasticity. In other words, in the conventional process, the dough is stretched by causing an elastic fatigue in the dough. However, such a high pressure destroys the gel structure of the gluten in the dough. As has been known to those skilled in the art, dough whose gel structure has been damaged tends to expand insufficiently when it is baked, resulting in bread of poor quality.